darling you're with me, always around me
by ryugazaki
Summary: Haruka has a thing about traditions, especially New Year's.


This is my first Free! fic and there isn't enough ReiHaru so that needs to be remedied. I wrote this in like an hour, I usually spend more time smoothing out fics but I just wanted to get it out for New Year's!

I hope everyone has a happy new year and I wish you all the best in the world!

The title comes from Ben Howard's Only Love. I love that song too much, definitely give it a listen!

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"It's almost midnight."

Rei looks up from the book that he's intently studying, glancing in front of him at Haru, who has taken to sprawling himself out on the floor of his living room, half of his body tucked under the kotatsu, as if he's given up on moving anywhere. He locks eyes with Rei for a few moments before Rei moves his gaze from the older boy to the clock sitting on the far wall and nods in agreement when he notices the time. "So it is," he murmurs softly, turning his attention back to his book.

Haru frowns at the lack of response from him, squirming a little until he's on his side, refusing to take his eyes off of Rei. Instead of acknowledging Haru further though, he calmly goes turning the pages as he reads, unaware of the staring contest that Haru seems to take up on.

The two of them are the only ones in Haru's house, even though the others had been there earlier that evening. He isn't sure when it had dwindled down to him and Rei, but he isn't really complaining because it's much quieter now than it had been earlier with Nagisa's giggles and Rin's yelling. The party had quickly ended when Makoto mentioned how the twins had wanted to the spend the rest of the evening with him, inviting Haru over (but quickly got the message when Haru kept switching his gaze from Makoto to Rei) and made his way out with a goodbye and a happy new year to everyone. Rin had grunted his departure and Nagisa had simply slipped out with them, not before wishing Haru and Rei a happy new year and winking at them both, causing Rei to blush and Haru to push Nagisa out and slam the door after him.

It hadn't taken much to convince Rei to text his parents and inform them that he was staying at a friend's house. Since they didn't know about Haru's and Rei's relationship, it was much easier to get permission that way without any questioning.

Haru's happier with the quiet though, the only sounds being the ticking of the clock and the near silent buzz of the television in front of them. He shifts once again though, propping his head on his hand as he nudges Rei's foot from underneath the table, wanting his attention again. Haru smooths out his face when Rei looks at him from the top of his glasses, a confused crease settling across the top of his brow.

"Is there something wrong?" questions Rei, lowering his book to stare at his boyfriend next to him before deciding just to lay it on the table, out of the way. Haru inches forward, curving his body so he can rest his head on Rei's left thigh. He tilts his head to get a better view of Rei, who is peering at Haru with a raised eyebrow.

Out of the corner of his vision, Haru eyes the clock before repeating his earlier statement, "It's almost midnight." In fact, it's only a minute or two until midnight, Haru sighs at this fact before giving his full concentration back to Rei.

Rei nods again, not phased by Haru's constant telling of time. "I understand, you mentioned that before, Haruka-senpai." He then yelps in pain when Haru pinches the inside of his thigh in reprimand, glaring up at him. He is not supposed to use -senpai when it is the two of them. It's a definite rule on Haru's part.

He swallows and clears his throat, hand rubbing at the sore spot as he shakes his head, "My apologises, Haruka." Rei adjusts his glasses with one hand as usual, looking off to the side in a fit of embarrassment.

Especially when Haru's hand starts massaging the spot it had pinched, resting his cheek against the warmth of Rei's leg. "Two more minutes," Haru mumbles against the fabric of Rei's trousers, tracing nonsensical patterns up the path of the thigh beneath him. He feels Rei tense up underneath his fingertips and he glances up at him again, taking amusement in the red tint that flares up on the younger boy's face. Haru enjoys moments like this, where he can make Rei loses his cool composure easily with subtle movements. (He also enjoys it when Rei can do the same to him but it's much more satisfying watching Rei more than anything else).

"Are you that excited for the new year?" Rei asks, grabbing Haru's hand before it can travel up any higher and Haru pouts when he does so but merely twists his hand as he intertwines their fingers, tugging them both closer to his face so he can lean his cheek on them. He notices the fond look on Rei's face that makes his heart kind of do a flip but Haru lowers his gaze in order to stop the heat crawling up his neck.

Haru goes back to Rei's question though before shaking his head. He's not really all that excited for the new year, he never really ever has. He knows that he's just going to continue his routines as he did, nothing's really going to change - at least he hopes it won't.

"Is there a reason you're counting down then?" Haru closes his eyes as soon as he feels Rei's other hand brush over his hair before tangling his long fingers into the dark strands and Haru leans into the touch, sighing softly through his nose. He does very much enjoy when it's just the two of them, mainly because he's greedy for all of Rei's attention and Rei is more affectionate when there's no one else around to see them.

Haru grumbles something against their linked hands, becoming a bit too embarrassed about the real reason for counting to midnight. He's never been really embarrassed about showing any sort of affection toward Rei, ninety percent of the time it's Haru who ever initiates anything. Rei's nearly always too flustered to do so.

He feels Rei lean over though and can sense eyes bore into him but he merely buries his face deeper into the skin of their hands, breathing in the scent of the hand lotion that Rei used earlier that day. The smell of vanilla calms him down enough to peer up at Rei through his eyelashes. Rei is looking at him, concern written over his features and his red glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose.

It's cute and Haru can't help but twist his body until he's flat on his back, facing Rei completely before reaching up with his free hand, tugging the spectacles off of his face. As usual, Rei turns into a sputtering mess, making a grab at his glasses but Haru only turns before pushing them onto his face, adjusting them to his liking.

"I want you to kiss me," Haru states, watching Rei freeze just as he goes to snag his frames back. Blinking rapidly, Rei begins to frown and Haru wonders if he had said something wrong.

"You want me to kiss you," There's a questioning tint to Rei's voice but he more or less just repeats Haru's words as if he can't even fathom that being Haru's reason.

But it is because Haru knows the tradition of kissing on New Year's and he's never done it before - he's never had anyone to do it with before - and he kind of wishes to have a good moment with his boyfriend on the first moment of the year.

"That's what couples do on New Year's," Haru hums under his breath, fiddling with Rei's glasses, narrowing his eyes through the blurry haze that they've made of his eyesight. He watches Rei's cheek brighten into a light pink at the declaration and Haru allows himself a tiny smile before sneaking a look at the clock. "You have 30 seconds."

Rei follows his line of vision, checking the clock himself to make sure. He seems to be frozen, violet eyes staring at the second hand slowly making it's way around the face of the clock and Haru makes a small noise like a snort, now frowning himself at his boyfriend's state. He only asked for a kiss, he doesn't understand Rei's hesitation.

A few seconds whip by in pure silence and Haru sits himself up, blinking through the still cloudy view that the glasses provide, narrowing his eyes at Rei.

"Rei?" he whispers toward him, extending his hand to land on his shoulder. Before he can, Rei's hand is grabbing at his and pulling him closer to his body and all he hears is a soft "it's midnight" before Rei presses their lips together.

Haru makes a surprised noise in the back of his throat, eyes drooping closed as Rei advances further, pushing their lips together, being a bit more forward than Haru's used to - not that he's complaining at all.

There's something completely relaxing about kissing Rei, Haru doesn't know if it's because after all they've done together Rei is still a little timid and shy about kissing - of all things - or it's because there is something completely relaxing about Rei himself.

Rei's body loosens up beneath him and Haru takes up the space in his lap, pulling him as close as he can. Rei's hands are on his hips and his hands are on his shoulders and he parts his mouth for Rei when he swipes his tongue against the skin of his bottom lip before Haru eagerly takes him in. There's a few seconds of heavy kissing, saliva slick tongues wrapping around each other in their mouths before it slows down to small pecks and laboured breathing.

Eventually, Haru pulls away, bumping his forehead against Rei's. Rei smiles widely at him, a bright grin full of teeth and pink lips that Haru hardly sees on him, before he snatches his glasses to put back on his face. Haru smiles himself, not quite as big but enough there that Rei kisses him once more.

"Happy new year, Haruka," Rei says against his lips and loops his arms fully around Haru's waist.

"Happy new year," he answers back, quickly pulling him to floor with him in order to get more kisses.

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I hope to get more ReiHaru fics out soon, they need more love!

You can always request anything on my tumblr (reirygazaki)!


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